Method of and apparatus for breaking the dried coating on sheet material



I A. C. VAN SLUYS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BREAKING THE DRIED COATING 0N SHEET MATERIAL- APPLICATION FILED 00L 1!. 1911.

1,368,080, Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Inventor: fldol vh a lien S'iuys,

A. C. VAN SLUYS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BREAKING THE DRIED COATING 0N SHEEI MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED 0CT,17, l9l7.

1,368,080. 7 I Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J/ Inventor.- .fldoipk a Viln Slugs,

by WW A. C. VAN SLUYS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BREAKING THE DRIED COATING 0N SHEET'MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 17, 1917.

I. 2. 93 IT n 1 8 6T F H H 3 ms n m P In venior: fldol ai a 0. View Sduys,

fltil'ys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

HAMPSHIRE, ASSIG NOR TO NASHUA ANY, OF NASEUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BREAKING THE DRIED COATING ON SHEET MATERIAL.

Specification of L P n Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed October 17, 1917. Serial No. 197,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLrH CHARLES VAN SLUYs, a subject of the Queen of Holland, and'a resident of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Ham shire, have invented an Improvement in M thods of and Apparatus for Breaking the Dried Coating on Sheet Material, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to methods of and machines for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet material so that such material will lie flat without curling, and further relates to the material produced by the use of such machines and methods.

While applicable "in respect-to many of its features to the treatment of sheet material other than paper, and to sheet material coat-' ed with substances other than adhesive gum, the invention has special application to the treatment of gummed paper, whereby the surface of the dried gummed coating is broken or cracked by minute lines of breakage, thereby reducing or eliminating the tendency of the paper to curl because of the shrinkage of the gum in drying.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration showing one embodiment of the invention, while the scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims 4 In the drawings Figure l is a planview of the principalworking parts of a machine embodying one form of the'invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 showing the same machine on a slightly enlarged scale;

F ig- 3 is a sectional elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 taken on the line 3--3 in- F ig. 1; and

' Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I have therein shown for illustrative purposes a gummed paper breaking machine embodying one form of the invention, provided with the frame 1 on which is supported the breaking devices, together"w'1th guiding means and suitable devices for feeding the paper to the breaking devices and receiving the paperafter the latter breaking action.

While the broad features of my invention may be usefully employed for breaking the gum on severed or separated sheets, the machine herein is capable of breakin the gummed coatlng on a continuous strip or sheet of paper adapted to be fed progressively through the machine from the mill or supply roll 2 at one end of the machine to the reel or winder 3 at the opposite end. of the machine.

Referring particularly to F igsrl and 3, the mill roll is supported in journals at one end of the frame 1, the sheet of paper designated as 4 passing from the mill roll over any suitable system of guide rolls such as the under roll 5 and the upper roll 6 to the frlction rolls 7- and 8. The latter are preferably provided with means such as the helical-1y arranged strips of felt 9, so that the paper in passing between the rolls may be frictionally engaged, and the rolls are preferably positively driven from any suitable source of power, as by a driving belt connected to the pulley 10, the rolls having intermeshing gears 10*. These rolls draw the paper from the mill or supply roll ata uniform rate and resist the draft under which the broken portion of the paper is drawn, so that a definite and uniform tension is developed in passing over the breakers. Other devices for feeding or tensioning the paper, however, may be employed, the described rolls being submitted for illustrative purposes.

From the friction rolls 7 and 8. the paper passes over breaking means so arranged that as the paper is fed, there is progressively developed a sharp bend transverse to the sheet, with the gummed coating on the outside of the bend. Preferably, though not necessarily, the breaking means is in the form of a stationary element presenting an edge or a corner to the back of the gummed paper, so that the latter is bent or deflected sharply about such corner in its'path of travel. The exact shape of such. breaking has been subjected to the element, as to its angularity or its sharpness, may be widely varied according to the intensity of the breakage required for different grades or thicknesses of paper or coatings of different character, the main requirement being that it shall produce ,a bend in the paper sharp enough to sufficiently crack the surface of the coating to oppose the tendency of the paper to curl.

Preferably the relation of the breaking means to the path of the paper is such that the bend in the paper, which develops the lines of break, lies obliquely across the length of the strip or the path of the paper, so that the resulting cracks or breaks develop in a general direction also transverse and oblique to the length of the sheet. To

\ effect this, the breaking member 11 (Figs.

1 and 3) is mounted upon the supporting bracket 12 which rests upon the frame 1, and extends obliquely across the path of the paper, as seen in Fig; 1, the paper passing, the gummed side uppermost, in a substantially horizontal path over the said edge and thence downwardly in a substantially vertical plane about a guide and draft roll 13, being bent under tension in its travel at substantially right angles about the breaker 11.

This progressively traveling bend in the paper produces a succession of minute and closely adjacent lines of rupture in the surface of the coating which, though more or less irregular, tend to follow approximately the same direction as the bend. Preferably the paper is subjected to a second breaking action to produce a succession of similar lines of breakage also oblique or inclined to the length of the strip, but lying across or intersecting the first set, so that the gummed coating is broken in two directions both oblique to the length of the strip. This may be accomplished by passing the gummed sheet over a second breaking member similar to the first and roducing a similar bend, but reversely imbued with relation to the first bend, so that the resultant lines of breaking intersect those produced by the first breaklng action. The paper subjected to this action has its gummed surface broken in two directions by sets of minute closely arranged cracks or breaks which intersect each other, both sets obligue to the length of the paper. The lines 0 set have generally the same direction, although they depart more or less from geometrically straight lines.

The angle along which the breakage takes place in the machine shown in the drawings, is 45 to the edge of the paper, so that each group of breakage lines in the ummed coating is inclined to the length of the paper at an angle of substantially 45 and intersect each other at substantially right angles. This not only simplifies the construction of the machine, but by this method a paper breakage in each are symmetrically located with relation to the grain.

My invention, howerer, broadly contemplates breaking the coating at other angles than 45, and where paper is treated having greater tendency to curl in one direction than in another, the angle of breakage may be varied to best offset such tendency.

Herein the second breaking action is etfected by drawing the paper under tension over a second breaking edge presented by the breaking member 14 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) the latter supported onthe bracket 15 carried on the frame 1. From the guiding and draft roll 13 the paper passes upwardly in a substantially vertical plane direct to the breakingmember 14 and thence in a substantially horizontal direction over the said member, the gummed surface being still uppermost and the path of travel of the paper from the breaking edge 14, owing to the relation of the breaking edges and the guiding roll 13,

being at substantially right angles to its path of travel from the supply roll to the first breaking member 11.-

ln the machine shown in the drawings, the breaking member 14 lies in the same plane with the breaking member 11, and is parallel thereto, and the guide and draft roll 13, which has a pitch diameter substantially equal to the space between the breaking members 11 and 14, is inclined at an angle of 45 to the breaking edges. The lower portion of the guide roll is journaled in the lower thrust bearing 15*, and the upper portion in the upper bearing 16, both bearings being secured to the framework 1. With this relation of the two breaking members and the inclined guide roll 13, the same tension is maintained in the paper across the entire width of the breaking edge, notwithstanding its angular relation to the paper, and all tendency to climb or creep toward one end of the edge and tear or injure the paper is offset by the angular guiding roll 13.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the paper is drawn over both breaking edges by the draft or tension on the paper itself, thus avoiding the use of auxiliary webs. In order to provide the desired and preferably substantially the same tensionover bo h breaking edges 11 and 14, means are herein provided for drawing and tensioning the paper over the breaking edge 11 independent of the means for drawing and tensioning the paper over the breaking edge 14. If the paper over the breaking edge 11 as over the edge 14, the tension over the edge 14 would be greater than that over the edge 11 and the tendency would be to cause a more intense breaking over the edge 14.

While devices might be employed for drawing the paper over the edge 11, independent of the guiding roll 13, such roll herein performs both the function of guiding the paper and also of drawing and tensioning the paper over the breaking edge 11. To efiect this, the guide and draft roll 13 is positively driven from any suitable source of power, as by the belt driven pulley 16. The tension over the breaking edge 14 is independently developed by the friction draft rolls 17 and 18 (Figs. 1 and 4), provided with the intermeshing gears 19, and

which may be similar in construction to the frictional rolls 7 and 8 already described. The friction draft rolls 17 and 18 are preferably also independently driven from any, suitable source of power such as from the belt driven-pulley 20.

The degree of intensity of breakage may be regulated by regulating the tension on the paper, the breakage usually being into vary the tension to vary the degree of breakage, I may and preferably do provide means for varying the draft or tension on the paper, such means being preferably such that the tension developed by the draft and guide roll 13 may be varied independently of that developed by the friction rolls 17 and 18. This provides means whereby the ten sion and degree of breakage may be regulated to suit varying conditions, such as varying thicknesses of the-adhesive coating, changing conditions in the humidity of the atmosphere, and difierences in the thick-- nesses or characterof the paper or other conditions. Any suitable means may be provided for effecting the variations in tension, and herein I have provided for the guide 'roll 13 a variable friction drive device consisting of the friction roll 21 driven by the pulley 16 in frictional contact with the friction disk 22, the latter connected to posi tively turn the guide and draft roll 13. The friction roll 21 may be adjusted to different positions across the face of the friction disk 22 to vary the speed of the guide roll by means of the threaded sleeve 23 concentric with the pulley shaft carrying the hand} wheel 24 and passing through a threaded bearing 25. The speed of the friction rolls 17 and 18 is varied by a similar variable friction drive device indicated in Fig. 1.

Ordinarily the speed of the roll 13 and that of the rolls 17 and 18 would be adjusted to equalizethe. tension over two breaking edges and equalize the intensity of the breaking action, but, if desired to give a greater breaking action over one edge than chine requiring such paper as, for example,- a rotary printing press, or the paper may be severed into separated sheets and immediately utilized or stacked for storage, or it may be again wound up in its broken and non-curling condition and stored for future use. Herein I have shown the paper as carried to a suitable winding reel 3 driven by any suitable source of power, not shown, the paper passing from the friction rolls 17 and 18 to the winding roll, over any suitable system of guiding rolls such as the rollers 26 and 27, and an intermediate take-up or tension device. The latter consists of the rollers 28 and 29 between which the paper passes, the rollers being mounted upon an oscillating frame which may be set and maintained at any suitable angle by means of the ratchet and pawl look, as shown in the drawings. Any suitable guiding and tensioning devices, however, may be employed. tensified by increaslng the tension. In order The machine described is capable of breaking gummed paper in the form of a continuous strip with great rapidity and without damage or injury to the paper itself, while its, normal output may be greatly increased, if desired, by running two or more superimposed strips of gummed paper through the machine to subject them to a simultaneous breaking action, the paper being unwound from the separate supply rolls and wound onto separate reels after the breaking action has been performed. a-

The performance of each breaking operation by drawing the paper under tension over a knife edge, renders the breaking effect the same in both directions.

While the action of the machine on the gummed coating produces what is here termed the breaking of the coating, it will be understood that these lines of breakage may be, and usually do appearas, mere minute hair-line surface cracks closely arranged and almost indistinguishable in some cases. These surface cracks will vary as to depth, spacing, number, distribution and location with the thickness of the coating, the thickness of the paper and the character as to brittleness and other qualities of the coating. When the paper is drawn backward over a stationary breaker as described, the bend thus produced travels progressively the entire length of the paper subjecting all parts of the coating to the same progres-. sively advancing line of stress. The coating is thus stretched 'with its outer surface (where the contracting tendency is greatest) under the maximum stress. Under this traveling line of stress, all parts of the coatcurling tendency. In some cases the lines may appear where the coating thickens and disappear where the coating becomes thin, reappearing again where the coating again thickens up. a

The cracks develop from the stressed outer surface and work in toward the seat or anchorage of the coating, reaching a depth, however, only sufficient to relieve the stress and oppose the curling tendency. While developing irregularly, they tend to follow the same general direction as the knife edge, but develop where the stress is the greatest and the curling tendency the greatest. The cracks distribute themselves naturally and automatically along regions of greatest stress and where best required to overcome this curling tendency.

While the stressed coating is thus completely broken so far as required, the breakage is developed in both directions under surface stress and there is no' tendency to detach or loosen thev coating, but the anchorage thereof to the paper may be allowed to remain substantially undisturbed and without such dislodgment as would follow an attempt to break the coating by a heating or impact action. By this described method, therefore, I am enabled to produce a continuous unsevered sheet with the coating broken under surface stress alone and in two directions oblique to the edges of the sheet, with the breakage distributed in a manner to most effectively offset the curling tendency.

While I have herein shown and described for the purpose of illustrationone specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to the details or relative arrangement of parts, but that the latter may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims.

1. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with apair of breakers presenting breaking edges substantially parcombination with a pair of breakers presenting breaking edges substantially parallel to each other but with an intervening space, of means for feeding and guiding the sheet material to subject it with the coated side out progressively to the bending action of said breakers in succession, the direction of travel of the material from the second breaker being substantially at right angles to the direction of its travel to the first breaker, each breaker being inclined at an angle to the path of the sheet material, and guiding means between the breakers comprising a guiding roll inclined to the breakers but at right angles to the path of the material.

3. In a machine for breaking the dried vcoating on thin sheet coated material, the

combination with a pair of breakers presenting substantially parallel breaking edges, of means for feeding and guiding the sheet material to subject it with the coated side out progressively to the bending action of said breakers in succession, said breakers being inclined to the path of travel of the sheet material to produce bends respectively inclined in opposite directions to the length of the sheet, and intermediate guiding means inclined to the breakers for guiding the material from one to the other, the plane of the sheet where it approaches the breaker edge being inclined substantially 90 in each case to its plane where leaving the breaker edge. I

4. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with the breakers 11 and 14: substantially parallel to the intermediate guide 13 inclined at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the plane of the breakers. I a

5. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a pair of-breaking edges lying in substantially the same plane and parallel to each other, of means for feeding the sheet over said breaking edges in succession to produce a sharp bend with the coating outside, and presenting edges at an inclination to the length of the sheet, but one reversely related to the other, said means including guiding means between the breaking edges inclined with relation to the breaking edges, the plane of the sheet where it approaches the breaking "edge in each case being inclined substantially 90 to the plane of the sheet where it leaves said breaking edge.

6. A machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, having a plurality of stationary breakers having different inclinations with relation to the length of the material, means for feeding the material over said breakers in succession with the coated side outward, to provide substantially right dihedral angles at the breakers.

7. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a plurality of breakers, of means for drawing a continuous strip of said material over said breakers in succession with the coated side outward, and means for developing tension in said material independently for each breaker.

8. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a plurality of breakers, of means for drawing the material over said breakers with the coated side outward, and a tensioning device for each breaker.

9. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a plurality of breakers, of means for drawing the material over said breakers with the coated side outward, and means for independently regulating the tension of the material at each breaker.

10.In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a pair of breakers, of means for passing the sheet over said breakers in succession with the coated side out, one of said breakers being inclined obliquely to the length of the sheet, and the other of said breakers being also inclined obliquely to the length of the sheet but at a reverse inclination to the first and the plane of the sheet where it approaches the breaker being inclined in each case at an angle to the plane of the paper when leaving said breaker.

11. The method of breaking the dried coating of a continuous strip of thin sheet material, which consists in drawing the sheet over a breaking edge diagonal to the direction of travel and maintaining a dihedral angle of 90 between the on-coming and the out-going portion of the sheet.

12. The method of breaking the .dried "coating of a continuous strip of thin sheet material, which consists in drawing the sheet over a breaking edge inclined approx1mately at an angle of 45 to the edges of the encoming ortion of the sheet and maintaining a dihedral angle of substantially 90 between the on-coming and the out-going portions of the sheet.

13. The method of breakin the dried coating on thin sheet material 0 aracterized by passing the material along the sides of a dihedral angle approximating a right angle,

the edge of which is oblique to the path of travel of the sheet.

- 14. The method of breaking the dried coating on thin sheet material characterized angle to the edges of the sheet, of means for drawing a continuous sheet with the coated sideout-turned' over said breaker, and means to guide the sheet whereby the plane of the sheet in approaching the ln'eaker is inclined at an angle to the plane of the sheet leaving the breaker.

16. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a breaker inclined at an angle to the edges of the sheet, of means for drawing a continuous sheet with the coated side out-turned over said breaker, and means to guide the sheet whereby the plane of the sheet in a proaching. the breaker is inclined at an ang e of 90 to the plane of the sheet where leaving the breaker.

17. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination with a breaker inclined at an angle of 45 to the edges of the sheet, of means for drawing a continuous sheet with the coated side out-turned over said breaker, and means to guide the sheet whereby the plane of the sheet in approaching the breaker is inclined at an angle of substantially 90 to the plane of the sheet where leaving the breaker.

18. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on thin sheet coated material, the combination of a pair of breakers and intermediate guiding means for positioning the material with its length at opposite inclination to the breakers respectively and tensioned over the breakers at dihedral angles approximating right angles, said means arranged differentially to take up the fullness of the sheet between the breakers.

19. In a machine for breaking the dried coating on a strip of thin sheet coated material, the combination of means for supporting and guiding the strip for lengthwise travel, a pair of breakers inclined in opposite directlons to the length of the strip, said means including mechanism between the breakers differentially to take up the fullness of the strip therebetween and arranged coating on a strip of thin sheet coated material, the combination with a breaker having an edge, of means for drawing the sheet diagonally over such edge, said means being constructed and arranged to cause the entrance angle and the exit angle the sheet makes with a plane including the breaker edge to be constant at all points across the width of the sheet and the sum of said angles at each point to be substantially more than zero degrees.

21 In a machine for breaking the dried coating on a strip of thin sheet coated material, the combination with a pair of breakers having edges, of means for drawing the sheet diagonally over such edges in succession and in opposite senses, said means being constructed and arranged to cause the entrance angles and the exit angles the sheet makes with a plane including a breaker edge to be constant at all points across the width of the sheet, and the sum of the entrance and exit angles at each point to be substantially more than zero degrees.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this s ecification.

A OLPH C. VAN SLUYS. 

